Electric switch



June 5, 1951 w. A. Gussow 2,555,588

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 26, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. VV/LL/AM A 6u550n BY AGE/V7 June 5, 1951 w. A. ussow ELECTRIC SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1948 Ill m M mwm Wm 16 A W E y June 5, 1951v w. A. GUSSOW 2,555,588

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 26, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR. MAL/ M A. Gussow 1 AGE/V7 Patented June 5, 1951 ELECTRIC SWITCH William A. Gussow, Hampton, .Ga., assignorto Southern States Equipment Corporation, a corporation of vGeorgia Application August 26, 1948, Serial No. 46333 a 9 Claims. .(Cl. 200-146) This'invention ;relates to ,high gvoltage electric switches of the type inzwhich the mainair break switcharm is supplemented byan arc suppressing; device :whichtmakespossible the safe opening of the-switch. under ,much' heavierloads than otherwise. .One' purpose is to provide a switch in-;which:the expos,ed ;members are weatherproof and in which-the smaller'high speed arc-suppressing members are adequately housed; anotherpurpose is tolcombine all these membersintoacompactand simpleiunit; another purpose is to provide ,an air break switch capable of closing as ;we1l=as opening a high voltage circuit many times without serious deterioration; and otherpurposes will be evident from the specificationand claims.

In the drawings Figure "l shows in small scale agsideviewpf one formoof switch embodying this invention; Figure 2 in-largerscaleshows a cross section of the swing end '-of the switch arm; Figure 3 is a vertical cross section ofthe hinge end of the switch arm; :Figure 4-is'a crosssection-of-the hingeend of the switch arm on the line :44--in Figure 3; Figures 5 to inclusiveare diagrams showingtheoperationof certain parts shown in Figures 3 and4.

A base I supports two stationary insulator units-2,13 and one rotative insulator unit 4 which is operable by crank .5. Crank-=6 isfixed to insulator uniti l-andurod 1 connects crank 5 with switch arm 8 which hasmanyparts and which pivotally mounted onhinge base 9 by hinge pin- I0. Insulator 2 supports the-main jaw contacttl land the arcing-horn l2 which serves as an auxiliary contact varm. .Line connections-are at l 3- and I4.

Switch arm 8 includes 'a box I5 at itshinge end, a ,tubular conducting arm l6, an insulating section and a; conducting arcing tip-l-8 which cooperates with horn-,l2. Inside'of the members 16, IT, and; l':8, as shown in Figure 2, is a conducting rod 19 whichhas an-insulation tip 20 madeaof horn fibre or other suitable-material and securedto rodl,9 by screw-2|. In thefull-y closed position, shown in Figure 2,;contacts 22,22 connect rod .1 9 with tip 48. The clearances around- I9 and 20' areexaggerated in Figure 2 forclarity. As made,,the rod members 'make an easy slip fit inside the tubular members. Rod l-9 -is' connected'by flexible conductor 23.170 rod: 24.- Rod.24 is pivotallycconnected; as shown in Figure 3, to-crank member 25 which is rotatableabout shaft 26 from the fully, closed position shown .inofull lines ;to the; fully openposition gives good electrical conductivity :from rod 24 to; box I 5.

Hinge: pin [0 is-secure1y:.he1 r S w or otherwise, against turning in base 9,;but boxl5;turns freely about pin: [0 as itspivotal hinge port. Supported by: pi I 0, insid ox 15 and held -stationary byset screws 5 or otherwise are two \fixed arms 28, 29, which carry, respectively,

two Vratchets 1,3,0, 3| pivot-ally mounted on thefree BIIdSgOf 1 arms 28, 29. .Prov ision is preferably made foradjusting the positionzof each .ofthe A coil spring. is-heldat one end by crank. 25

and at the otherend. by collar 3,4,,anothercoil spring 4| .is held ;by crank 25 atone end-and by collar 35. at the other-end. Collar has a dent 34 a which \is-cooperable' withratchet 30-, and collar (films :a dent 35a. which iscooperable with ratchet 3|. A pivotally mounted member 36 includes a pointed crank Mia-and a ratchet 3 6b,,and:a similar member 31 includescrankBla and ratchet 57b. vIn theclosed switch position ratchet 3U 'holds dent 34a =against turning: as. the switch starts to. open. In the open switch position ratchet .3! iholdsrdent 35a against turningas. the switch starts to close. ratchet-releasing projections 34b, 340, which engage respectively with cranks 36a and 31 11. Crank member 25, see Figure 5,Yhas vtwo dents 25a and. 2527 which; are engageablei by ratchet 361), v

andjtwo dents 25c. and i25dlwhich are engageable by ratchet 31b.

Opening. operation is as follows! Figure 5 shows that crank 25. isheldby. 36b and 31b against turning about theaxis of.shaft.26.. But

as crank 5 is turned and rod- Tis moved-box I5 is rotated counter-clockwise. about hinge pin 10. And since ratchet jovis stationary it holds dent 340, against moving with box Hi. Therefore, as shaft '26 moves with box--l5,vcollar 34 is:forced torotate.counter-clockwise about the axis of -shaft 26. 34,7 35, while crank member .-25'.is held stationary by ratchet 3617. Therefore. coil springatllhas its tension increased and crank 25 is: biased counter.- clock-wise. As this motion continues projection 34b engages crank 36a and rotates zit counterclockwise-thereby forcing ratchet 36b out of enshowntindottedelinesa- .Aflexible-conductor 21 -66 gagement EWith MZEa; The parts are then as Collar 34 has two-- This turns shaft; 26 and collars shown in Figure 6; but since 25 is strongly biased by spring 40, crank 25 is instantly rotated counter-clockwise until ratchet 36b engages with dent 25b and dent 250 is simultaneously engaged by ratchet 312). Therefore crank 25 is again held stationary as to box l5.

As crank 25 moves, conductor rod I9 is moved instantly away from contacts 22, 22 and through the small part of insulating section I! where there is preferably a lining of horn fibre 39. The chamber inside of I! is vented by one or more holes H. The insulation tip 20 is drawn inside the lining 39 and the are caused by opening the circuit is quenched in the small space between tip 20 and lining 39.

When fully closed the current is carried by tubular arm I6 and main contacts H, but as the switch is being opened and a gap is formed between IB and H, then the current is transferred to the shorter air gap between horn I2 and tip I8. Therefore the entire current flows momentarily through rod l9, tip l8 and horn |2. The parts are so adjusted that dent 25a is released by ratchet 36b just as the tip i8 is at the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 and the gap between tip l8 and horn |2 starts to increase and so the increasing of the exterior arc aids in the quenching of the are between members 20 and 39. And the increasing air gap between tip I8 and horn l2 prevents the reestablishment of the are after it has once broken. Continued opening motion brings the parts to the position shown in Figure 7, and it will be noted that ratchet 3112 now has engaged dent 25c thereby holding crank 25 in its fully opened position.

Figure 8 shows the positions of members when the closing movements begin. Dent 35a is engaged with ratchet 3| and dent 250 is held by ratchet 311). As the switch arm 8 rotates about shaft III, the stationary ratchet 3| holds dent 35a so that collars 34 and 35 are rotated clockwise with shaft 26, thereby stressing spring 4|. When projection 34c engages crank 31a it rotates ratchet 31b clockwise and thereby releases it from dent 250. This is shown in Figure 9, and instantly spring 4| rotates crank 25 clockwise, thereby moving rod l9 towards tip l8 and establishing metallic contact before the high voltage of the circuit has established a damaging arc inside insulating section In rotating crank 25 clockwise, dent 25d becomes engaged by ratchet 31b, stopping crank 25 in its fully closed position; and at the same time dent 250 is engaged by ratchet 362). Further closing motion of switch arm 8 brings tubular arm l6 into engagement with jaws and separates dent 35a from ratchet 3|. Figure 10 indicates the positions of these parts when fully closed.

Meanwhile dent 34a has pushed past ratchet 30, which first moves out of the way and then is snapped back by its biasing spring to its normal position shown in Figure 5, ready for the opening movements to be made.

Adjustments are provided for springs 40, 4|, so that when crank 25 is held by ratchets 36b and 31b in either the fully closed or fully opened position, then the ratchet 30 or the ratchet 3| is engaged with its proper dent, as indicated in Figure and Figure 8, respectively. It has been found advisable to have spring 40 and spring 4| both under partial tension in normal positions, when the switch is either fully closed or fully opened. Then when an operation occurs, tension on one spring is relaxed and tension on the other one is increased. The net results, however,

4 are just as described previously. Adjustments are also provided between arms 28 and 29 and their respective ratchets 30 and 3 But such adjustments are omitted from the drawings for clarity.

If desired, the closing spring 4| can be omitted together with some of the associated members, while still retaining spring 40 and its functions. And many other changes could be made by one familiar with the art without departing from the spirit and purposes of this invention.

We claim:

1. In an electric switch, a stationary contact and a stationary horn connected in spaced relation therewith, a hinge pin and its mounting spaced away from said contact and a unitary switch arm rotatable about said hinge pin; said switch arm including a box member, an extended tubular main conductor arm cooperable with said stationary contact to form the main circuit which the switch opens and closes, a smaller conductor movable longitudinally within the tubu lar main conductor arm, an arcing tip at the swing end of the switch arm cooperable with said horn and with the said smaller conductor to form the secondary circuit which the switch opens and closes, and are suppressing means coordinated with said secondary circuit including an opening spring operable to move the said smaller conductor at high speed as the switch is being opened, and also including a closing spring operable to move the said smaller conductor at high speed during the closing motion of the switch.

2. In an electric switch, a, stationary contact, a stationary hinge pin in spaced relation to said contact, a box rotatable about said hinge pin and comprising part of a switch arm, a tubular main conducting arm integral with said box and extending to cooperate with said stationary contact to form the main circuit which the switch opens and closes, and carried by said tubular arm an arc suppressing device which includes a small conductor that is movable longitudinally and that is part of a secondary circuit within said tubular main arm, an arm fixedly supported inside said rotatable box by said stationary hinge pin, and a closing spring inside said box to operate said small conductor at high speed during the latter part of the closing motion of the switch.

3. In an electric switch, a stationary insulated jaw contact, a switch arm structure movable into and out of engagement with said contact; said switch arm structure including a tubular main conducting arm, a tubular insulating section partly within the swing end of said conducting arm and partly extended beyond the end of said conducting arm, a conducting arcing tip supported by the extended portion of said insulating section, a recess inside the arcingtip coaxial with the said tubular insulating section, a conductor rod which has an extended end of insulating material and which extends through the said tubular conducting arm and the said tubular insulating section and thereb makes electrical contact with said arcing tip to form part of a secondary circuit which is within the tubular main conducting arm, and with the extended end of insulating material housed in said recess, together with one spring member operable when the switch is being opened to withdraw the said rod suddenly away from said arcing tip and simultaneously to move the said insulating end of the rod to replace the conducting part of the rod within the said insulating section, and with a secondspring member operable as the switch is being closed to move the said rod at high speed to its circuit closing position.

4. In an electric switch, a stationary contact, a hinge pin in spaced relation to said contact, a switch arm structure rotatable about the axis of said hinge pin, said switch arm structure including an extended tubular conducting arm cooperable with said stationary contact, to open or close the main circuit through the switch, a rigid conductor rod which is movably contained within said tubular arm and which forms part of a secondary circuit therethrough, an opening spring connected with said conductor rod, holding members to stress said opening spring as switch arm starts to open, and releasing members to release said holding members when the switch arm has been opened a predetermined part of its travel, and a closing spring connected with said conducting rod, holding members to stress the said closing spring as the switch arm starts to close, and releasing members to release the said holding members as the switch arm completes a. predetermined part of its closing travel.

5. In an electric switch, a stationary contact, a hinge pin in spaced relation to said contact, a switch arm structure rotatable about the axis of said hinge pin, said switch arm structure including an extended tubular conducting arm cooperable with said stationary contact to open or close the main circuit through the switch, a rigid conductor rod movably contained within said tubular arm, a closing spring connected with said rod, holding members to stress said spring as the switch arm starts its closing motions, and releasing members to release said holding members when the switch arm has been moved over a predetermined part of its closing travel.

6. In an electric switch, a stationary hinge supported thereby a box member movably supported by the hinge pin, an extended tubular switch arm integrally supported by the box member, said switch arm having three coaxial sections, first, a main conductor tube secured to the box, second, an insulating section extending into and supported by the swing end of the conductor tube, and third, a recessed conductor arcing tip supported by the insulating section; a conductor rod having a flexible tip which is at least partly of metal, extending from the interior of the box member through the tubular switch arm to make contact with the conductor arcing tip; a stationary main contact spaced away from the hinge pin and cooperable with the main conductor tube to open or close the main circuit through the switch, an auxiliary contact arm connected with but spaced away from the main contact, to make contact only with the arcing tip of the switch arm; operating means, including an opening spring, located within the box member and operable as the switch is being opened to move the conductor rod instantaneously within the tubular arm after the main conductor tube has moved away from the main contact and while the conductor arcing tip is still adjacent to the auxiliary contact arm, together with means to rotate the box member about the hinge pin and thereby to operate the switch.

7. In an electric switch, a stationary hinge supported thereby, a box member movably supported by the hinge pin, an extended tubular switch arm integrally supported by the box member, said switch arm having three coaxial sections, first, a main conductor tube secured to the box, second, an insulating section extending into and supported by the swing end of the conductor tube, and third, a recessed conductor arcing tip supported by the insulating section; a conductor rod having a flexible tip which is at least partly of metal, extending from the interior of the box member through the tubular switch arm to make contact with the conductor arcing tip; a stationary main contact spaced away from the hinge pin and cooperable with the main conductor tube to open or close the main circuit through the switch, an auxiliary contact arm connected with but spaced away from the main contact to make contact only with the arcing tip of the switch arm; operating means, including a closing spring located within the box member and operable as the switch is being closed to move the conductor rod instantaneously within the tubular arm as the tip closel approaches the auxiliary contact arm, and thereby to close that part of the auxiliary circuit that is within the tubular arm.

8. In an electric switch, a unitary switch arm which is movable between open circuit and closed circuit positions and which has one main circuit and one secondary arc suppressing circuit with a contact making movable element, a closing spring operable as the switch arm is being closed to bias the movable element towards its closed circuit position, holding means to hold the movable element in open circuit position against the bias of said spring, and releasing means operable to release said holding means when the unitar switch arm has been moved from its open position over a predetermined part of its travel towards its closed circuit position.

9. In an electric switch, a pivotally mounted switch arm movable between open circuit and closed circuit positions, are suppressive means which are carried by said arm and which includes a contact making movable element which is connected at one end with the swing end of a rotatable crank member, a closing spring operable to bias the crank member towards closed circuit position as the switch arm is moved towards closed circuit position, a dent on the crank memher and a ratchet on a fixed adjacent pivot cooperable with said dent to hold the crank member from being moved by the closing spring until the spring has been stressed to a predetermined tension, and releasing means then operable to release the ratchet and allow the closing spring to turn the crank instantly to its closed circuit position,

WILLIAM A. GUSSOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,654,521 Anderson Jan. 3, 1928 2,141,846 Schwager Dec. 27, 1938 2,239,224 Goldner Apr. 22, 1941 2,272,717 Ludwig et al. Feb. 10, 1942 2,323,241 Richardson et al. June 29, 1943 2,343,917 Fernier Mar. 14, 1944 2,462,283 Rathert Feb. 22, 1949 

